Rabeea Syed, 20, is fearful for her family living in the United States of America.

“A lot of my fears are echoed by minority groups across the U.S. — fear of violence and a very apparent system of oppression,” Syed says.

She’s one of many Canadian Muslims who say they are directly affected by American president-elect Donald’s Trump’s anti-Muslim rhetoric and are afraid.

On election night “there was a lot of late night crying while speaking to friends of mine in the U.S.,” she says.

Syed notes the violence incited at Trump’s rallies and worries it will become more widespread, even into this country.

“Canada and the U.S. are inextricably tied together and every bad decision there effects us here,” Syed says. “Canada is going to be in about as much trouble as the U.S. when it comes to the economy and politics as well as the treatment of minorities. There are already conservative leaders announcing themselves in light of Trump’s win because they would like Canada to be more like the U.S. now.”

The election of Trump came as a shock to many Americans and to everyone else in the world. A large portion of the American population is afraid of President Trump and what his election means to Muslims.

“There was a lot of late-night crying while speaking to friends of mine in the U.S.,” Syed says.

Amira Elghawaby, communications manager at the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) says, “Racism, hate or discrimination, even if targeted to one community, is targeted at the social fabric that strengthens our country.”

Elghawaby wants Canadians to remember what kind of Islamophobia Canada went through, such as a Peterborough mosque being set on fire to attacks against Hijab-wearing folks and how Canadians reacted. People on social media came together with the hashtag #IllRideWithYou and a Peterborough synagogue opened its doors so Muslims can pray there.

“I think its really important to focus on the positive and the vast majority of Canadians who really want to see communities that are strong and whole,” Elghawaby says.